CAUSES OF POPULATION EXPLOSION 

The causes of population explosion are as follows: 

1. Accelerating Birthrate High Fertility rate

The Fertility rate of a country refers to the number of children a woman gives birth to during her child bearing age. High fertility rates lead to a rapid increase in the population of a country. High fertility rates are prevalent in countries which are under developed and where literacy rates, especially among women, are low. It is not a coincidence that 9 out of the 10 top countries with the highest fertility rates are in Africa, a continent in which the inhabitants of several regions routinely face abject poverty, starvation, famine, drought and disease, besides internal strife, Niger, a country in Africa, has the world's highest fertility rate. On an average, women in Niger give birth to 7 children each. 

 2. Decrease in Infant Mortality Rate

Infant Mortality Rate refers to the number of deaths of infants under 1 year old per 1000 live births. An improvement in medical science and technology, better maternal care facilities and wide usage of preventive drugs (vaccines) has reduced infant mortality rates in many countries, including India. IMR is an index of the health of a country. Monaco, Japan, Iceland and Singapore are countries with an IMR of less than 2.5.

3. Increase to life expectancy

Due to improved living conditions, better hygiene and sanitation habits, better nutrition, health and education, the average life expectancy of human population has improved significantly, Steady supply of good quality food makes sure that the population is well nourished. Populations grow when they are adequately nourished. Japan, Switzerland and Singapore have the highest life expectancies in the world, with an average life expectancy of about 83 years.

4. Increased immigration

An increase in immigration often contributes towards population explosion, particularly in developed countries. It happens when a large number arrive at an already populated place with the intention to reside permanently.

 5. Less space than required

In urban cities, it is often found that there is very less scope for making available extra space to absorb the additional population. In such cases, a large population is seen packed into a smaller space.